Davion Farris gives insight into his new 13-track album, Alchemy, discussing the deep reasons behind this creative project, his growth as a musician, and the recent life experiences that have helped shape this exciting new chapter in his career.
Where do you see your growth, both professionally and personally?
Personally, I’m a bit more disciplined. I’ve cut back tremendously on smoking, which is a big thing for me personally and professionally because it affects my voice and my ability to perform consistently the way I’d like to. I’m glad about that. And, of course, I have my daughter, my baby girl, so I want to make sure I’m in good shape and able to do whatever is needed for my baby at any moment. That’s another part of the discipline. I’m taking better care of myself. I’m in better shape, and that goes a long way when you’re hitting the road and making sure we look and present ourselves the way we want to onstage.
Musically, I feel like I’ve stretched out. I’ve used a lot more live musicians—whether it be guitar, horns, live bass, or whatever. We pulled it all out this time around on the album, so I’m excited about that growth.
Definitely, and congratulations. That’s beautiful. You suffered tremendous losses and then welcomed new life. Can you talk about how those moments impacted or influenced your creativity?
Absolutely. It was a couple of things, actually: losing my mom, rest in peace, and then losing my older brother. It was tough. It challenged all of us as a family unit, and it challenged us individually. There are spaces where we have to come together and do our best to feel what we need to feel without letting the pain and grief overtake us. We’ve definitely grown closer as a family, and I feel like we’ve grown stronger as individuals as well. Then the addition of new life brings new, much-needed energy. SiR had my second niece, Danielle, and then I had my baby, Soleil. Having that new energy, where death and grief are trying to get a stronghold, helps keep them at bay. It gives us a new level of inspiration.
There aren’t many feelings like looking down into your baby girl’s eyes and having her look back at you like you’re her favorite thing in the world. That can inspire you, and it definitely has inspired me.
I love that. I want to get into the album. I know we got heavy early. How personal is this album to you, and what does it represent?
This album represents my growth as a person, so it’s definitely very personal. I’m in a place now where I’m happy. I’m with someone who is beautiful, respectful, kind, wise, smart—all of the things—and now I’m prepared for that. The lessons I learned through this album—the lessons of loss and understanding that I have to be the best person I can be whether or not there are eyes on me—are part of that growth. The growth I’ve experienced through this story is what prepared me to be the man who can take care of the things he has now.
I saw you post a snippet of SiR. It looked like he was doing some behind-the-scenes work with you. Were you able to utilize him or D Smoke for their creative expertise on the project?
Absolutely. SiR wrote on a few songs on the project—three, actually. We’ve got “Down Bad,” which is one of my favorites and a fan favorite, featuring Rayvon, who came in and did his thing. He bodied that verse. SiR also co-wrote “Reality”—he wrote most of it, to be honest—and he wrote “It’s Done,” which might low-key be my favorite song on the album.
What was the most memorable moment of creating this album? Was it a breakthrough in the studio, a collaboration, or even a challenge you had to overcome?
Even though it wasn’t directly a studio moment, I had been working on this project for a few years. I wouldn’t say it was just one moment, but having to sing at my mom’s funeral was different. It took strength, even though I wouldn’t say I felt particularly strong in the moment. I pulled through and sang one of the songs we would always do together. She would sit down at the piano and play a few tunes, and I would sing along.
That was our favorite thing to do, so I had to do it one last time. That was probably the most memorable part of making the project because that moment carried me through when the project was due, deadlines were coming, mixes had to be finished, and everything had to be right. It can get tiring.
But understanding that I’m part of her legacy—and that I have a duty, so to speak, to put this music out, share it, and help continue her legacy—gave me inspiration to draw from.
That’s beautiful. What do you want listeners to take from the album?
I want them to learn the lesson of putting your best foot forward and being your best self. I want men, in particular, to understand that you don’t have to lose everything in order to see what you have. A lot of us go through that. We make mistakes and feel like we’ll always have someone or something, but taking things for granted is a quick way to lose them. We don’t want to take things for granted. We want to take care of the people and things we love, hold dear, and consider precious. That’s the overall lesson the album is talking about.
You gave us a short preview back in 2022 that really showed off your raw vocals. Do you have any shows or tours coming up where fans can experience that for themselves?
We’re working on a couple of things. We’ve got a show at the Peppermint Club that we’re setting up with Live Nation, and we also have some things we’re looking to get on the calendar with Blue Note. We’ve got a few spot dates coming up, so I’m excited. Once we hit those, I think that’ll open more doors. And, of course, once [unclear] is on tour at the top of next year or next spring, I’ll be out there with them. So that’s coming.
We’ll definitely be looking out for it. With this album out, what does the next chapter of your career look like, and what are you excited for fans to experience next?
I’m excited to continue this story. I’m working on the deluxe right now, with some extra songs and pieces that will help tell the story a little better, so I’m excited about that. I’m also working on some acting. I’ve been coaching Smoke as he’s worked on a few films and other projects this year, so I’m getting back into my acting bag. I studied for four years under Tasha Smith and then taught for a year, so that’s definitely one of the fields I’m excited to step into and branch out into.
Lís Bryant
